Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

दानवेन ततो मुक्तं गरुडास्त्रं च लीलया । गारुडास्त्रं च तद्दृष्ट्वा सार्पं नैव व्यदृश्यत

Transliteration

dānavena tato muktaṃ garuḍāstraṃ ca līlayā | gāruḍāstraṃ ca taddṛṣṭvā sārpaṃ naiva vyadṛśyata

Translation

ततः स दानवो लीलया गरुडास्त्रं मुमोच। तद् गारुडास्त्रं दृष्ट्वा सार्पमस्त्रं पुनर्नैव व्यदृश्यत॥

Word by Word

• दानवेन: by the demon
• दानवेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/हेतु), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मुक्तम्: released/let loose
• मुक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular

• गरुडास्त्रम्: the Garuḍa-weapon
• गरुडास्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गरुडस्य अस्त्रम्)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• लीलया: playfully/with ease
• लीलया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• गारुडास्त्रम्: the Garuḍa-weapon
• गारुडास्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गारुड + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (गरुडसम्बन्धि अस्त्रम्)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having seen’

• सार्पम्: serpentine/of snakes
• सार्पम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; विशेषणम्

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — निषेध (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• व्यदृश्यत: was seen/appeared
• व्यदृश्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), कर्मणि प्रयोग, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, Passive, 3rd person, Singular

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tirtha-mandala (contextual frame)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Dānava releases the Garuḍāstra effortlessly; as the radiant Garuḍa-force manifests, the serpent-weapon’s coils and venomous aura dissolve and vanish from the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Dānava
• Garuḍa
• Gāruḍāstra
• Sārpāstra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Purāṇic symbolism, remedies exist for afflictions: the Garuḍa principle dispels serpentine fear and poison-like hostility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā sacred region is the narrative setting; this verse does not directly praise a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.